Saturday, May 19, 2012

Happy Birthday Queen Victoria

19 May – So here we are
celebrating the May Long Weekend. How did this most celebrated long
weekend come about? And why is this weekend any more special than
another?

This is what I found out on Google!

The birthday
of Queen Victoria was a day for celebration in Canada long before
Confederation, with the first legislation regarding the event being
in 1845 passed by the parliament of the Province of Canada to
officially recognize May 24 as the Queen's birthday. It was noted
that on that date in 1854, the 35th birthday of Queen Victoria, some
5,000 residents of Canada West gathered in front of Government House,
in Toronto to "give cheers to their queen." On May 24,
1866, the town of Omemee, also in Canada West, mounted a day-long
fête to mark the occasion, including a gun salute at
midnight, pre-dawn serenades, picnics, athletic competitions, a
display of illuminations, and a torch-light procession.

Following the death of Queen Victoria
in 1901, May 24 was by imperial decree made Empire Day throughout the
British Empire, while, in Canada, it became officially known as
Victoria Day, a date to remember the late queen, who was
deemed the "Mother of Confederation". Was made
permanent by royal proclamation. The following year, Empire Day was
renamed Commonwealth Day and in 1977 it was moved to the second
Monday in March, leaving the Monday before May 25 only as both
Victoria Day and the Queen's Birthday.

------- Victoria Day is a public
holiday observed across Canada on the Monday before May 25th.

In
2012, Victoria Day falls on Monday, May 21.

Victoria Day
celebrates Queen Victoria's birthday (May 24th). Canada is still a
member of the Commonwealth of Nations, of which the Queen is head.

Victoria Day is always on a Monday, and thus the holiday is
part of a long weekend, which is commonly referred to as the
Victoria Day Weekend, the May Long Weekend, the May Long, or the
May Two-Four (a case of beer there is called a "two-four"
and many of these are consumed over the holiday). The weekend
is also called the May 24th weekend, although it does not necessarily
fall on May 24th.

The Victoria Day Weekend is the first
popular weekend for spring / summer travel. Lots of people open up
their cottages, plant gardens, or just get away. Expect crowds at
resorts and hotels and busy highways. Fireworks displays are common,
especially on Monday night.